Shrek The Musical

Jerry Lee is Sierra Rep’s Artistic Director. He’s appeared in the SRT productions of Misery, Sunday in the Park with George, Elf The Musical, Shrek The Musical, Camelot, Cabaret, Route 66, Intimate Apparel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Man of La Mancha, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair, and The Drowsy Chaperone. As an actor: I Love You…Change, Forbidden Broadway (California Musical Theatre); Life Could Be a Dream, A Christmas Carol (CenterREP); A Little Princess, The Fantasticks (Sacramento Theatre Company); West Side Story (Mountain Play); Orlando, An Iliad, A Tale of Two Cities (SacImpulse Theatre). As a soloist: Rodgers and Hammerstein Celebration (Sacramento Choral Society); Billy Bigelow in Carousel in Concert (Sacramento Philharmonic). As a director: Little Shop of Horrors, Mean Girls JR., Sh-Boom! A Christmas Miracle (World Premiere), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Twelfth Night, Jersey Boys, Clue, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh KIDS, Elvis The Musical (West Coast Premiere), Dogfight, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Steel Magnolias, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka KIDS, I Love You…Change, The Wizard of Oz, Holiday Jukebox, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Robber Bridegroom (SRT); I Love You…Change (STC). Lee began his association with Sierra Rep in 2010 when he stepped in as a replacement in Guys and Dolls.

In 2019, Lee created SRT in Schools, a touring program that brings live professional theatre to Tuolumne County schools at no cost to the schools, students, or their families. In 2023, the program branched out to include Stanislaus and Calaveras counties.

NYC Theatre Credits: Joe’s Pub, NYMF, Interborough Repertory Theatre, The Duplex, Broadway Benefit at Westside Theatre, Don’t Tell Mama, Metropolitan Room, NY International Fringe Festival. Regional Credits: Sierra Repertory Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Cumberland County Playhouse, Barter Theatre, Sacramento Music Circus, Blumenthal Center, Seaside Music Theatre, Lucas Theatre, Ryman Auditorium, Theatre By the Sea, Off Square Theatre, Denver Center Theatre, National Tour. Choreography credits: Denver Center Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, AMDA NYC. Favorite credits: You Can’t Take it With You (Essie), A Funny Thing… Forum (Philia), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Prudie Cupp), Annie Get Your Gun (Annie Oakley). SRT credits: Sweet Charity (Charity), Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide), A Dash of Rosemary. Christine is a New York University graduate and a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

KEENON HOOKS

Donkey in Shrek The Musical (2021)

Keenon is thrilled to make his debut with SRT! He spends most of his time behind the scenes directing/ choreographing these days but is excited for a chance to be back on stage again. A graduate of Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, his work has also been seen with: 5 Star Theatricals, PCPA-Pacific Conservatory Theatre, Transcendence Theatre Company, San Diego Musical Theatre, Long Beach Opera, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Utah Festival Opera, Musical Theatre West, SLO Repertory Theatre, Performance Riverside, Palos Verdes Performing Arts, Las Vegas Nevada Conservatory Theatre, and the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. He is also the co-founder of Studio Collective Performing Arts and takes pride in the education of the next generation of artists.

William Thomas Hodgson

Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical (2021)

William is making his SRT debut! He is an actor, director, and educator, based out of Oakland, CA. He received his MFA from UC San Diego, and is co-artistic director of the Oakland Theater Project. Regional credits include Romeo, Midsummer, Macbeth, How to Catch Creation (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), It Can’t Happen Here (Berkeley Rep), Calligraphy (TheatreWorks), El Henry, Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (La Jolla Playhouse), An Octoroon (Mixed Blood Theatre), Trufaldino Says No (Shotgun Players), Seussical the Musical (Berkeley Playhouse), and I Am My Own Wife (Oakland Theater Project).

MICHELE MAIS

Dragon in Shrek The Musical (2021)

“Maisey” is thrilled to be back on stage and especially happy to return to SRT where she performed in Cinderella and Beehive! Michele originated the role of “Justice Charlier” in the LA Workshop of Rock of Ages and subsequently on Broadway for four years. Other Broadway productions include Zoot Suit and Hal Prince’s Roza. She’s traveled nationally and internationally with Godspell, One Mo’ Time and Menopause, the Musical. In 2014 Michele became a member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Acting Company and remained so for seven seasons. Favorite credits include the premiere of The Go-Go’s Head Over Heels (The Oracle), Henry IV and V (Mistress Quickly), A Wrinkle in Time (Mrs. Who), The Wiz (Addaperle), and MacBeth (Lady MacDuff/Hecate). Michele is a 1999 recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle Award for The Last Session.

Courtney is originally from nearby Sacramento, but now calls Sonora home. In between those locations were years spent in New York City, traveling the American regional circuit, sailing the high seas, and touring through Australia.  Favorite credits include the original Broadway company of The Woman in White, the Australian tours of Sweeney Todd and Sunday in the Park with George, and many shows right here at Sierra Rep, Murder on the Orient Express, Shrek, and Camelot, to name a few.  She was most recently seen as Aunt Sarah in The Christmas Foundling.

Griffin is incredibly grateful and beyond thrilled to be returning to SRT for the 7th time, a place he considers a second home. He was last seen on the East Sonora stage in Shrek The Musical. Born in Champaign, IL, Griffin discovered his love for theatre in high school, which led him to follow the path to Los Angeles to pursue a BFA in Musical Theatre in 2011 at AMDA: College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Previous LA credits include Legally Blonde, The Secret Garden, Cabaret (AMDA), Anything Goes, Footloose, Joseph (Glendale Centre Theatre). Griffin joined the SRT family in 2014 in Mary Poppins, which then led to a fabulous journey with other shows including The Music Man, My Fair Lady, and (his personal favorite) Pageant. In 2019, Griffin moved to New York City where he currently resides. Thank you for the opportunity to return to this very special place and to this very special family. We need theatre right now more than ever and we cannot wait to reintroduce you to this magical experience. Much love to you all!

Alex Alansalon (Scuttle) is ecstatic to be returning to SRT for another fantastical show! Last seen in Shrek the Musical here at Sierra Rep, he can’t wait to share another amazing experience with this wonderful cast. A valley kid born and raised, he has done many productions across the greater Modesto area, ranging from Newsies, Footloose, Sons of the Prophet, and Peter and the Starcatcher. He wants to thank his friends and family for their unending support and hopes you enjoy the show!

ALISSA DEANDA

Ugly Duckling, Teen Fiona in Shrek The Musical (2021)

Alissa is very excited to be a part of Shrek The Musical at SRT! She began acting when she was five and has since appeared in over 30 shows, including three with SRT. Some of her most recent credits include: Death Takes a Holiday (Daisy) and Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr (Ursula) with MYACT; and Anne of Green Gables (Rachel Lynde) with Summerville High/CVPAA. In her free time, Alissa is an avid reader, artist, and cat person. She is a senior at Summerville High School/CVPAA and is interested in pursuing a degree in Studio Art once she begins college. Alissa would like to thank her friends for their love and support, Louise McPeeters for being an amazing voice teacher, Kyla Hatler for being a great mentor and friend, and her Mom for always being there for her with a heart full of love.

JESSE GRAHAM

The Brick Pig in Shrek The Musical (2021)

Jesse worked as a commercial fisherman during the pandemic and loved it! However, he is beyond excited to be back at SRT! He was last seen here in Mamma Mia! (Pepper) and White Christmas (Ensemble). Other credits include: Newsies (Romeo) at La Mirada Theater [Ovation Award Nomination for Best Ensemble], West Side Story (Action), Into the Woods (The Baker), The Drowsy Chaperone (Gangster#1), Tartuffe (Valere), The Little Mermaid (Aerialist), and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Ferdinand). Jesse is a choreographer. He was an assistant choreographer and dance captain for The Addams Family at PCPA. His most recent work can be seen in the music video “Ahead Of A Daydream” by Miss Not Ma’am. He is also an avid surfer/skateboarder as well as songwriter and can be found on Spotify and Apple Music. PCPA Conservatory graduate (Class 2020!). Jesse wants to thank God and his family for all the love and support they bring to his life. Enjoy the show!

Camryn is thrilled to return to SRT this season as an Artistic Associate! Previous SRT credits include: Sunday in the Park with George (Dot/Marie), Cinderella (Ella), Jersey Boys (Mary Delgado), and Elf (Jovie). Camryn has had the pleasure to perform at several regional houses including Casa Mañana and Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. Camryn received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Arizona. She would like to thank her friends, family, and SRT for their endless love and support. Enjoy the show!

Bree Igoe (Windward/Ensemble) is 10 years old and is a student at Gold Rush Charter School. Last summer she delivered some amazing one-liners as Grumpy Dwarf in SRT’s Shrek. This spring she got many laughs as the over-indulgent enabler Mrs. Gloop in SRT Jr’s Wonka KIDS. Bree is always looking to bring joy to those around her with a good story and her full-body laugh. When she’s not talking or singing, she is busy daydreaming about the marvelous things she plans to do with her life.

Quinn Igoe (Louise) is 13 years old and in the 7th grade at Connections Academy. She loves theater and is excited to be on the SRT stage again. Previously with SRT, Quinn has performed in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Youth Ensemble) and Shrek (Young Fiona/Baby Bear). She also just wrapped up performing in Newsies (Katherine) at Mountain Youth and Community Theater and in Connections Academy’s Dear Edwina (Edwina). Quinn is kind, thoughtful, and so genuinely passionate about life’s experiences; especially reading, singing, and dancing. She would like to thank her friends and family for supporting her and hopes you enjoy the show!

COLDEN LAMB

Papa Ogre, Big Bad Wolf, Shrek (u/s) in Shrek The Musical (2021)

Colden is exhilarated and grateful to be performing at SRT! Regional credits include: Shrek The Musical with 3-D Theatricals, 5 Star Theatricals, and Moonlight Amphitheater; Beauty and the Beast with Moonlight Amphitheater and Performance Riverside; No, No, Nanette with Candlelight Pavilion; and Kiss of the Spiderwoman with The Welk Resort. Colden is also an author for the online publication, The Theatre Times. He would like to thank the creative team for this wonderful opportunity.

Dexter is delighted to return to Sierra Rep’s mainstage. His past roles here include Peter Pan in Shrek The Musical and ensemble in Holiday Jukebox. He has trained with SRT Jr since 2018. His favorite Jr productions include The Wizard of Oz (Wizard), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Phineous Trout), and The Little Mermaid (Scuttle). Most recently, Dexter appeared as Percy Jackson in The Lightning Thief (MYACT). He hopes your holidays are filled with joy and you’re surrounded by loved ones. Let it snow and enjoy the show!

Jackie is thrilled to be returning to SRT once again! She has most recently been seen in SRT’s production of Cinderella as Charlotte. Jackie is a graduate of PCPA and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Cornish College of the Arts. Favorite credits include: Cinderella, Sunday in the Park with George, Elf, Shrek, and The Wizard of Oz (Sierra Rep); Men on Boats (Cornish College); Freaky Friday (PCPA). Jackie would like to thank her friends and family for their constant love and support.

GABRIELLE SMITH

The Straw Pig, Blind Mouse in Shrek The Musical; Mary Debenham in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express (2021)

Gabrielle is delighted to be making her SRT debut! She is a 2021 graduate of the University of Kansas, having earned a BA in theatre performance. Her professional credits include La Cage aux Folles (Collette/Cagelle), The Legend of Georgia McBride (Jo) and Chasing Gods (Olivia) all with Kansas Repertory Theatre. She has also performed at the William Inge Theatre Festival, and for GradWorks with Sarah Lawrence College. In 2019, Gabrielle worked as an Education Fellow for NewYorkRep theatre company. In her free time, Gabrielle likes to go thrift shopping, long boarding, and rollerblading! She is so grateful to be in Sonora, and for this opportunity!

Ruby E. James is elated to be a part of this production. She most recently appeared as Ariel in SRT Jr’s production of The Little Mermaid Jr. She is a Junior at Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy. Other past favorites include: The Little Mermaid (SRT), Matilda (SCT) Annie KIDS (SRT Jr.), Shrek (SRT), Willy Wonka KIDS (SRT Jr.), Alice in Wonderland (CSTARS) Footloose (CVAPAA), The Wizard of Oz (SRT), The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition (SRT Jr.), Suessical (CSTARS). She was awarded and Elly Award and Willy Award for her performance in Matilda at Stockton Civic Theatre. A huge thank you to her friends and family. Happy Holidays and enjoy the show!

DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE

Book & Lyrics for Shrek The Musical (2021)

David Lindsay-Abaire was most recently nominated for two Tony Awards for his work on Shrek The Musical: Best Book of a Musical and Best Score (with composer Jeanine Tesori). Prior to that, he was awarded the 2008 Ed Kleban Award as America’s most promising musical theatre lyricist and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Rabbit Hole, which premiered on Broadway at MTC’s Biltmore Theatre. Rabbit Hole also received five Tony Award nominations, including Best Play, and the Spirit of America Award. His other shows include Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo, Wonder of the World, High Fidelity and A Devil Inside, among others. In addition to his work in theatre, David’s screen adaptation of Rabbit Hole just finished shooting. It stars Nicole Kidman and is directed by John Cameron Mitchell. David is a proud New Dramatists alum, a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and the Juilliard School, as well as a member of the WGA and the Dramatists Guild Council.

JEANINE TESORI

Music for Shrek The Musical! (2021)

Jeanine Tesori has written three Tony-nominated scores for Broadway: Twelfth Night (Lincoln Center); Thoroughly Modern Millie (lyrics, Dick Scanlan); and Caroline, or Change (lyrics, Tony Kushner; director, George C. Wolfe). The National Theatre production of Caroline, or Change in London received the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Her first musical, Violet, written with Brian Crawley, received the NY Drama Critics Circle Award. She has received Drama Desk and Obie Awards, and was cited by ASCAP as the first woman composer to have “two new musicals running concurrently on Broadway.” She composed the music for the New York Shakespeare Festival’s Mother Courage, directed by George C. Wolfe and translated by Tony Kushner. Film scores include Nights in Rodanthe, Winds of Change, Show Business, and Wrestling With Angels. She composed songs for the movie Shrek the Third and for the Disney DVD releases Mulan II, Lilo and Stitch II, and The Little Mermaid III. Ms. Tesori is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is a graduate of Barnard College and lives in Manhattan with her husband, Michael Rafter, and daughter, Siena.

Valerie has been a professional Director and Choreographer for over 26 years. She attended California Institute of the Arts for her BFA in Acting and the University of California Irvine for her MFA in Directing.

Valerie has worked at theaters around the country including: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Opera, Eugene Opera, Glendale Center Theater, Performance Riverside, Oregon Cabaret Theater, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater, Southern Oregon University, Summer Repertory Theater, PCPA Theaterfest and many others.

Valerie is currently the Artistic Director of the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, OR now in its 39th season.

Sean is a composer and pianist based in Los Angeles. Originally from Sonora, he attended USC for Jazz Performance studying with Milcho Leviev and Cedar Walton. After finishing his degree, Sean spent a year in Glasgow, Scotland, playing in hotels and working with the Lothian Gaelic Choir. Then, after working in San Francisco with jazz and pop groups, he returned to Los Angeles and a career as a composer and pianist. He has music directed dozens of productions at various theatres including Sierra Rep, Milwaukee Rep, PCPA, The Odyssey, The NoHo Arts Center, Sierra Madre Playhouse, and has played and produced music for Disney and Universal Studios. Sean recently scored the award-winning feature Refuge, SMP’s production of Deathtrap, and received ASCAP’s Harold Arlen Award for film scoring.

Over 250 productions, notably: fifteen world-premieres including The Flight (State Theater, Kathmandu, Nepal), Dreaming Glacier Bay (Perseverance Theatre, Juneau, Alaska), Facing the Calm (Knightsbridge Theatre, Los Angeles), and One November Yankee (NoHo Arts Center, Delaware Theatre Co., transferred Off-Broadway to the 59e59st Theaters), other Off-Broadway: The Runner Stumbles (Beckett), The Dining Room (Beckett and Dorset Theatre Festival); Regional credits include Angels In America (Yale Drama), Los Angeles: Elizabeth Rex (Ovation Award, Best Set Design), Mother Courage, Company (LA  Weekly Annual Theater Award nominations), Much Ado About Nothing, Godspell (in American Sign Language). Dana loves to come home to his family at SRT, this being a remount of one of eight scenic designs here; others include Forever Plaid, Anna in the Tropics, A Christmas Story, Mamma Mia!, and The Glass Menagerie. Dana is a Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he has designed numerous productions including Kiss Me Kate, A Funny Thing… and Legally Blonde. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at Whitman College, and his MFA at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts.

Whitney Lehn Meltz is a nonbinary Scenic Designer and artist of oddities from Las Vegas, NV. Credits include bobrauschenbergamerica for Nevada Conservatory Theatre, Angry F*gs for Majestic Repertory Theatre, and Mamma Mia! for Timber Lake Playhouse. Whitney’s previous design here at Sierra Rep, Shrek The Musical, won BroadwayWorld’s Sacramento Regional Award for Best Scenic Design of 2021. Whitney is thrilled to return! MFA University of Nevada Las Vegas ‘22, BFA Illinois Wesleyan University ‘19.

BETHANY DEAL

Costume Designer for Shrek The Musical (2021)

Bethany is beyond excited to be back with her SRT family. You last saw her work in …Trailer Park Musical and Beehive: the 60’s Musical! She was the Costume Production Supervisor at Academy of Art University. She has her MFA in Costume Design/Hair & Make-Up design from Utah State University. You may have seen her costume designs in the greater bay area including A Christmas Carol with Center Rep, Caroline, or Change with Ray of Light Theater, Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Bay Area Theater Critic’s Circle nomination for Best in the Bay overall production), 110 in the Shade, Saturday Night, and New Girl In Town with 42nd Street Moon, Joseph…, Sister Act with Broadway By the Bay, Dreamgirls, Sister Act, and Annie with Berkeley Playhouse, Cymbeline with Theater of the Others. Her other work includes Mr. Marmalade with Garage Theatre, Legally Blonde the Musical with USU, Talk Radio, The Fantasticks with OMG, Blues in the Night with Stage 3. In addition to the stage, Ms. Deal has worked in film and television including Costume Designer for “Not Your Year” and “North Beach” both currently in the festival circuit. She did costumes for Salt Lake 48-Hour Film Project Winners in 2013.

Brenda O’Brien began her theater career in San Diego, where she was seen as Judas in Godspell, Louise in Gypsy, Nicki in Sweet Charity, and Viola in Twelfth Night (to name a few). She received awards for her roles as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation, Joan in Dames at Sea, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and Electra in Gypsy. Brenda then went on to perform as Svetlana in the 1st National tour of Chess. Soon after she began portraying Carmen San Diego on the PBS television show and video games. In addition to acting, Brenda is an accomplished make-up artist and hairdresser for TV, Film, and Theater. She received her 25 years on Broadway pin in 2019 for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde, and Disney’s The Lion King. SRT Audiences might remember her as Tanya in Mamma Mia (2018), or as Tootie in Meet Me in St. Louis (2021). So glad to be back!

Design credits include the 2021 Off-Broadway revival of Assassins (dir: John Doyle), Zolushka (Cinderella) at the Rossiya theatre in Moscow, A Bed and a Chair for New York City Center Encores!, and The Nutcracker and I (George Street Playhouse). For Sierra Rep, Steve designed last year’s Shrek The Musical; other California theatre includes Les Mis (CCMT), Miss Saigon (Broadway by the Bay), and A Christmas Carol (Center Rep).

On Broadway, Steve has worked as animator and associate designer for Memphis, The Mountaintop and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short.  Other credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes (off-Broadway), The History of Invulnerability (Cincinnati Playhouse), “Judy Garland in Concert” (Boston Pops), Frank Wildhorn’s Tears of Heaven (National Theatre of Korea), and Empire the Musical (La Mirada Playhouse).

Irene Nguyen is an international student from Vietnam. She is currently a third-year M.F.A. Scenic Design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her recent designs include A Midsummer Night’s Dream at UNLV, Dry Land at Vegas Theater Company as a Scenic Design, and The Cherry Orchard at UNLV as an Associate Scenic Design. This is her second design for Sierra Repertory Theatre. The previous was Shrek The Musical. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at East Texas Baptist University.

Christopher is always excited to work with Sierra Rep. SRT: Shrek The Musical, Baskerville, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, and Macbeth. Christopher lives in New York now, with his wife Christine Rowan and their daughter Vivian. He is known for his succinct bios.

Tatiana Covington-Parra is thrilled to be diving into another season at Sierra Rep after a whirlwind 2021 return. Beginning as a sound engineer at Modesto Junior College, she is grateful to have found a community and the opportunity to grow as an artist thanks to the guidance and support of the SRT company. Her favorite design work at SRT includes Cabaret, The Wizard of Oz, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. She would like to thank her Mom, Grandma, family, friends, the MJC Theatre staff, and all her mentors for always allowing her to create, explore, and grow with love.

Kimily Conkle (Dialect Coach) recently coached Steel Magnolias for SRT and is delighted to join the creative team once again. She has coached dialects extensively throughout the Bay Area, including 20 shows for TheatreWorks (notably the world premiere of Memphis). Other theatres include Marin Theatre Company, San Jose Stage, South Bay Musical Theatre, Broadway by the Bay, Los Altos Stage, The Mountain Play, Foothill Music Theatre, Palo Alto Players, Tabard Theatre, Dragon Productions, Pear Theatre, Woodside Community Theatre, Hillbarn Theatre, Ross Valley Players, and at Stanford University and Santa Rosa Junior College. Kimily has performed with TheatreWorks, San Jose Stage, PCPA Theaterfest, Western Stage, Los Altos Conservatory Theatre, Empire Plush Room, Palo Alto Players, and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She is a former member of the Theatre Arts faculty at Foothill College and received her training from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, American Conservatory Theater, and Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts.

Maggie Braun (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at her theatre home! SRT: Steel Magnolias, Murder on the Orient Express, Route 66, The Wizard of Oz, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and Million Dollar Quartet. With her associate degree in Theater from Modesto Junior College, she is proud to have her dream job here in Sonora. She would like to thank her family, best friends, and Connor for supporting her in her journey of chasing her dreams. “Look ma, I made it!”